The Dental Benefit Scheme…

David,
I know you are very busy but wish to bring a matter to your attention which I suggest Congress may wish to act on as a matter of great urgency.
I write to suggest that Congress may wish to assist us in notifying up to two million PRSI-eligible persons, many of whom will be members of Congress affiliates, that they can still receive their full dental benefits if they make contact with their local dentist before January 31st.
As you will know, the Oireachtas is today likely to enact legislation which will effectively abolish the dental benefit scheme for 2010. This decision will have the effect of restricting access by patients to free and subsidized treatments such as scale and polish, extractions, fillings, root canal treatments and dentures etc.
The Association is today launching a media campaign to highlight the fact that insured persons can save hundreds of euros in dental charge by contacting their dentist up to December 31st. The sooner they make contact the better. A copy of a statement being issued, adapted for each of the counties, is set out below for your information.
As it would be in the interest of the members of Congress affiliates as well as dentists, we would be grateful if you could arrange to notify as soon as possible all appropriate Congress affiliates with a view to their circulating urgent messages to their members stressing the need to make urgent contact with their dentist.
If I can be of any assistance in elaborating further on the above, please feel free to contact me at 01-2950072 or 087-9120930.
Regards,
Fintan
Fintan Hourihan,
Chief Executive,
Irish Dental Association
Unit 2 Leopardstown Office Park,
Sandyford,
Dublin 18.

As someone who neglected going to the dentist for three years and only made contact again in the recent past, and thankfully had no work to be done consequent to that hiatus, I cannot emphasise just how pernicious this particular cut is, most importantly since it removes a key block in the preventative aspect of medical practice. Sure, we could, I guess depend on the fluoride in the water – and indeed my dentist, recently back from the continent made the point that that had an impact. But… somehow, and as one with no concerns about fluoride at all as it happens, that seems a tad unsatisfactory.

BTW, am I wrong in thinking that many, if not indeed most, public sector employees are not eligible for this in either case?